Election campaigning begins, CPI announces list

Imphal, Oct 26: Election campaigning has started for the ninth general Assembly elections in Manipur scheduled to be held early next year.

Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami had announced in Imphal earlier that the elections would be held before March 7 next year.

The ruling alliance the Congress and the CPI have started the political campaigns. The Congress have started a series of political meetings in the state.

The Congress leaders have started campaigning by visiting one constituency a day. Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh addressing a political conference at Bishenpur district last evening said the party will finalise the candidates by conducting a scrutiny of all the aspirants.

He said the Congress party will not do anything which will later become a liability for the next government. He charged that previous governments had done some appointments where there was no posts and later it caused a crisis.

He appealed to the Congress leaders and the workers to work honestly. A Congress leader said the possibility of a pre-poll alliance with any political party was bleak.

The CPI has also finalised a list of 25 candidates out of 60 Assembly segments. Prominent veteran leaders like P Parijat Singh, Minister Arts and Culture, L Sotinkumar, A Lala former Minister, N Tombiraj, N Mangi, Minister Commerce and Industries, H Sanayaima former Minister, M Nara MLA, Th Tomba, MLA were in the list.

CPI leaders said another 15 candidates may also be announced soon. The CPI central leaders would be coming to Imphal to formalise the second list and chalk out poll strategies it was added. The Congress is expected to field candidates in all the 60 segments.

UNI